U.S. patent application number 13/945306 was filed with the patent office on 2014-10-23 for pedal apparatus for vehicle.
The applicant listed for this patent is Dong Hee Industrial Co., Ltd., Hyundai Motor Company. Invention is credited to Yang Rae Cho, Eun Sik Kim, Sung Il Lee, Jeong Seon Min, Wi Sang Park.
Application Number | 20140311275 13/945306 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51705432 |
Filed Date | 2014-10-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140311275 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Eun Sik ; et
al. |
October 23, 2014 |
PEDAL APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE
Abstract
A pedal apparatus for a vehicle includes a pedal bracket fixed
to a dashboard, a cowl bracket fixed to a cowl panel, and a pedal
arm hinge-coupled to the pedal bracket and having a reverse-swivel
protrusion and a pedal on both sides of the pedal arm. Also, a
reverse-swivel lever is hinge-coupled to the pedal bracket, and on
an upper side of the reverse-swivel lever has an extension
extending upwards and being positioned in front of the cowl
bracket, and, on a lower side of the reverse-swivel lever has a
reverse-swivel pin positioned below the reverse-swivel
protrusion.
Inventors: |
Kim; Eun Sik; (Gwangmyeong,
KR) ; Min; Jeong Seon; (Gwangju, KR) ; Cho;
Yang Rae; (Suwon, KR) ; Lee; Sung Il;
(Hwaseong, KR) ; Park; Wi Sang; (Ulsan,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Dong Hee Industrial Co., Ltd.
Hyundai Motor Company |
Ulsan
Seoul |
|
KR
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
51705432 |
Appl. No.: |
13/945306 |
Filed: |
July 18, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
74/512 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G05G 1/44 20130101; Y10T
74/20528 20150115; B60T 7/065 20130101; G05G 1/327 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
74/512 |
International
Class: |
G05G 1/44 20060101
G05G001/44 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 18, 2013 |
KR |
10-2013-0043107 |
Claims
1. A pedal apparatus for a vehicle comprising: a pedal bracket
fixed to an upper side of a dashboard of the vehicle; a cowl
bracket fixed to a lower side of a cowl panel of the vehicle; a
pedal arm rotatably hinge-coupled to the pedal bracket, the pedal
arm having a reverse-swivel protrusion on an upper side of the
pedal arm, the reverse-swivel protrusion protruding toward a front
of the vehicle, and the pedal arm having a pedal on a lower side of
the pedal arm; and a reverse-swivel lever hinge-coupled to the
pedal bracket in front of the upper side of the pedal arm, the
reverse-swivel lever having, on an upper side of the reverse-swivel
lever, an extension extending upwards and being positioned in front
of the cowl bracket, and the reverse-swivel lever having a
reverse-swivel pin positioned below the reverse-swivel protrusion
on a lower side of the reverse-swivel lever.
2. The pedal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dashboard
is positioned in front of the cowl panel.
3. The pedal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an upper side
of the cowl bracket is coupled to the cowl panel, and a lower side
of the cowl bracket is formed as a flange coupled to an upper
surface of the pedal bracket.
4. The pedal apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the flange of
the cowl bracket is provided with a recess opening, which is open
toward a driver's seat of the vehicle, and a protrusion is formed
on the upper surface of the pedal bracket such that the protrusion
is fitted through the recess opening of the cowl bracket and is
bolted thereto.
5. The pedal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pedal arm
has a coupling part hinge-coupled to the pedal bracket, and the
pedal bracket has an open part being open toward a driver's seat of
the vehicle at a place where the coupling part is fixed.
6. The pedal apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a
fixing link having, on one side, opposite hook parts that are open
downwards and surround a portion of a hinge shaft of the coupling
part of the pedal arm, and on the other side, hinge holes, so that
when the pedal is swiveled, the pedal arm is prevented from being
separated from the open part of the pedal bracket.
7. The pedal apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the opposite
hook parts of the fixing link are connected by a connector part,
which comes into close contact with the front side of the
reverse-swivel lever, so that during a collision, the hook parts
are swiveled upwards about the hinge holes as the reverse-swivel
lever is swiveled.
8. The pedal apparatus according to claim 6, wherein during a
vehicle collision, the hook parts are separated from the hinge
shaft of the pedal arm, and the hinge shaft of the pedal arm is
removed toward the driver's seat through the open part of the pedal
bracket.
9. The pedal apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a bushing is
coupled to an upper side of the hook part coupled to the hinge
shaft without a gap with respect to the pedal bracket.
10. The pedal apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a bushing is
coupled to an upper side of the hook part coupled to the hinge
shaft without a gap with respect to the pedal bracket, the bushing
being made from plastic.
11. The pedal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein as the
dashboard is pushed back toward the interior of a vehicle during a
frontal collision of the vehicle, the reverse-swivel lever is
swiveled when an extension thereof comes into contact with the cowl
bracket, and the pedal arm is swiveled when the reverse-swivel
protrusion is forced by the reverse-swivel pin.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(a) the
benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0043107 filed on
Apr. 18, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein
by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] (a) Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates to a pedal apparatus for a
vehicle which can prevent a driver from sustaining injuries during
a vehicle collision.
[0004] (b) Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, vehicles have a variety of pedals that are
required to drive the vehicles. Most of the pedals are manipulated
by a driver using his or her feet, and are located on the bottom of
the interior of a vehicle so as to be in the proximity of the
driver's feet.
[0006] When a vehicle collision occurs, a dashboard to which the
pedals are fixed is forcedly moved into the interior of a vehicle
toward the driver, thereby possibly injuring the driver's
ankles.
[0007] To prevent a driver from sustaining injuries due to pedals,
U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,219 discloses a pedal arrangement including a
bellows and a plunger rod that are connected to a brake booster,
and when a vehicle is involved in a collision, a brake pedal is
reversely rotated by the operation of two links including a
swiveling shaft and a transmitting rod coupling the two links
through a lever connected to respective rods by the swiveling
shaft, thereby preventing a driver's ankles from sustaining
injuries. However, such a pedal arrangement has problems in that,
because a mechanically complex structure such as the two links
including the swiveling shaft and transmitting rod is installed in
the interior of a vehicle, the number of parts required is large,
and a relatively wide space for mounting and driving the links is
required.
[0008] Therefore, there is a need for a pedal apparatus for a
vehicle in which the structure is simple and, when the vehicle is
involved in a collision, the pedal is reversely rotated in a short
time, thereby effectively preventing the driver's ankles from
sustaining injuries.
[0009] The description regarding the related art is provided only
for understanding of the background of the invention, so it should
not be construed by ordinarily skilled persons in the art to be
admitted to the related art.
SUMMARY
[0010] Accordingly, the present invention provides a pedal
apparatus for a vehicle in which a structure thereof is simple so
that, when the vehicle is involved in a collision, a pedal is
reversely rotated in a short time, thereby effectively preventing
the driver's ankles from sustaining injuries.
[0011] In order to achieve the above object, according to one
aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pedal
apparatus for a vehicle including: a pedal bracket fixed to an
upper side of a dashboard of a vehicle; a cowl bracket fixed to a
lower side of a cowl panel of a vehicle; a pedal arm rotatably
hinge-coupled to the pedal bracket, the pedal arm having a
reverse-swivel protrusion on an upper side of the pedal arm, the
reverse-swivel protrusion protruding toward a front of the vehicle,
and the pedal arm having a pedal on a lower side of the pedal arm;
and a reverse-swivel lever hinge-coupled to the pedal bracket in
front of the upper side of the pedal arm, and having, on an upper
side of the reverse-swivel lever, an extension extending upwards
and being positioned in front of the cowl bracket, and the
reverse-swivel lever having a reverse-swivel pin positioned below
the reverse-swivel protrusion on a lower side of the reverse-swivel
lever.
[0012] The dashboard may be positioned in front of the cowl panel.
Further, an upper side of the cowl bracket may be coupled to the
cowl panel, and a lower side of the cowl bracket may be formed as a
flange coupled to an upper surface of the pedal bracket. The flange
of the cowl bracket may be provided with a recess opening, which is
open toward a driver's seat of the vehicle, and a protrusion may be
formed on the upper surface of the pedal bracket such that the
protrusion is fitted through the recess opening of the cowl bracket
and is bolted thereto. The pedal arm may have a coupling part
hinge-coupled to the pedal bracket, and the pedal bracket may have
an open part being open toward the driver's seat at a place where
the coupling part is fixed.
[0013] The pedal apparatus may further include a fixing link
having, on one side, opposite hook parts that are open downwards
and surround a portion of a hinge shaft of the coupling part of the
pedal arm, and on the other side, hinge holes, so that when the
pedal is swiveled, the pedal arm is prevented from being separated
from the open parts of the pedal bracket. The opposite hook parts
of the fixing link may be connected by a connector part, which
comes into close contact with the front side of the reverse-swivel
lever, so that during a collision, the hook parts are swiveled
upwards about the hinge holes as the reverse-swivel lever is
swiveled. During a vehicle collision, the hook parts may be
separated from the hinge shaft of the pedal bracket, and the hinge
shaft of the pedal arm may be removed toward the driver's seat
through the open parts of the pedal bracket. A bushing may be
coupled to an upper side of the hook part coupled to the hinge
shaft without a gap with respect to the pedal bracket, when the
bushing may be made of plastic.
[0014] According to the present invention, as the dashboard is
pushed back toward the interior of a vehicle during a frontal
collision of the vehicle, the reverse-swivel lever may be swiveled
when an extension thereof comes into contact with the cowl bracket,
and the pedal arm may be swiveled when the reverse-swivel
protrusion is forced by the reverse-swivel pin.
[0015] According to the present invention, when the dashboard is
pushed and moved behind the interior of the vehicle during a
vehicle collision, the pedal arm itself is decoupled from the pedal
bracket, thereby securely protecting a driver from sustaining an
injury to his or her ankles.
[0016] According to the present invention, in contrast with a pedal
apparatus in the related art, the pedal apparatus of the present
invention additionally includes only the reverse-swiveling lever
and the fixing link, so there is no need for a large installation
space, the number of parts decreases, and such an arrangement can
be utilized where a reverse pushing-preventing bracket cannot
typically be applied due to being disadvantageous to design layout,
and thus the pedal apparatus can be mounted without modifying a
design space, which reduces the cost and weight, and facilitates
the assembly and maintenance thereof, and thus improves overall
working efficiency.
[0017] Further, according to the present invention, the provision
of the bushing normally prevents a gap from being created between
the fixing link and the pedal arm and the pedal bracket, thereby
restricting noise and malfunction due to the gap, increasing the
strength of the pedal apparatus, and ensuring the reliability of
operation. Also, the bushing serves as a fail-safe safety device
that prevents the hinge shaft of the hinge coupling part of the
pedal arm from being decoupled through the opening, together with
the fixing link
[0018] Therefore, the pedal apparatus allows for a safe operation
during a normal operation, and during a vehicle collision, the
pedal arm is reversely swiveled and is completely decoupled from
the pedal bracket, thereby providing the effect of securely
protecting a driver from sustaining an injury to his or her
ankles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a pedal apparatus for
a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is an exploded parts view of the pedal apparatus of
FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a partial side perspective view of the pedal
apparatus of FIG. 1;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a coupling section of the pedal
apparatus of FIG. 3;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the pedal apparatus of FIG. 3
in a normal state;
[0025] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the pedal apparatus of FIG. 3
after a collision occurs; and
[0026] FIG. 7 is a view of a pedal apparatus for a vehicle
according to another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred
embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in
the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference
numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description
to refer to the same or like parts.
[0028] It is understood that the term "vehicle" or "vehicular" or
other similar term as used herein is inclusive of motor vehicles in
general such as passenger automobiles including sports utility
vehicles (SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles,
watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft, and
the like, and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in
hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other
alternative fuel vehicles (e.g. fuels derived from resources other
than petroleum). As referred to herein, a hybrid vehicle is a
vehicle that has two or more sources of power, for example both
gasoline-powered and electric-powered vehicles.
[0029] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of
the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an" and
"the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood
that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising," when used in this
specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude
the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As
used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of
one or more of the associated listed items.
[0030] FIG. 1 is a view of a pedal apparatus for a vehicle
according to an embodiment of the present invention. Also, FIG. 2
is an exploded parts view of the pedal apparatus of FIG. 1, and
FIGS. 3-4 are side views of the pedal apparatus of FIG. 1.
[0031] The pedal apparatus for a vehicle includes a pedal bracket
300 which is fixed to an upper side of a dashboard 100 of a
vehicle, a cowl bracket 400 which is fixed to a lower side of a
cowl panel 200 of the vehicle, a pedal arm 500 which is rotatably
hinge-coupled to the pedal bracket 300 and has a reverse-swivel
protrusion 510 on an upper side of the pedal arm 500, the
reverse-swivel protrusion 510 protruding toward a front of the
vehicle, and a pedal 530 on a lower side of the pedal arm 500, and
a reverse-swivel lever 600 which is hinge-coupled to the pedal
bracket 300 in front of the upper side of the pedal arm 500, the
reverse-swivel lever 600 having, on an upper side of the
reverse-swivel lever 600, an extension 610 which extends upwards
and is positioned in front of the cowl bracket 400, and a
reverse-swivel pin 630 which is positioned below the reverse-swivel
protrusion 510 on a lower side of the reverse-swivel lever 600. The
dashboard 100 is positioned in front of the cowl panel 200.
[0032] The pedal apparatus of the present invention is provided in
the proximity of the dashboard 100 and the cowl panel 200 such that
the pedal bracket 300 is fixed to the dashboard 100. The pedal arm
500 is hinge-coupled to the pedal bracket 300 at a coupling part
550, and the reverse-swivel protrusion 510 is formed at the front
side of the coupling part 550.
[0033] The reverse-swivel protrusion 510 is a means for
reverse-swiveling the pedal arm 500. When a vehicle collision
occurs, the extension 610 of the reverse-swivel lever 600 comes
into contact with the cowl bracket 400 so that the reverse-swivel
pin 630 is swiveled up to lift the reverse-swivel protrusion 510,
and thus reverse-swivel the pedal arm 500. The reverse-swivel
protrusion 510 is formed below the reverse-swivel pin 630, because
it needs to be lifted by the reverse-swivel pin 630 of the
reverse-swivel lever 600.
[0034] The pedal bracket 300 has opposite open parts 330 which are
open toward a driver's seat and to which the coupling part 550 is
fixed. The open parts 330 are a portion of a circumference of the
pedal bracket 300, to which the coupling part 550 is fixed, and a
large opening 350 is formed between the opposite open parts 330 at
the front side of the pedal bracket 300. When hinge-coupled to the
open parts, the coupling part 550 is introduced into the open parts
through the large opening 350 from a lower side toward an upper
side thereof.
[0035] Since the pedal arm 500 should be separated from the pedal
bracket during a vehicle collision by a hinge shaft 551 being
separated from the open parts 330, the pedal bracket 300 has the
large opening 350. Further, during normal operation, the pedal arm
should not be separated from the pedal bracket, so a fixing link
700 is further attached to the pedal bracket 300. The fixing link
700 has, on one side, opposite hook parts 710 that are open
downwards and surround a portion of the hinge shaft 551 of the
coupling part 550 of the pedal arm 500, and on the other side,
hinge holes 730. As a result, when the pedal 530 is swiveled, the
pedal arm is prevented from being separated from the open parts of
the pedal bracket 300. The hinge holes 730 of the fixing link 700
are formed in front of the opposite hook parts 710, and the fixing
link 700 is integrally coupled to the pedal bracket 300 through the
reverse-swivel lever 600 and the hinge holes 730. The opposite hook
parts 710 of the fixing link 700 are connected by a connector part
750, which comes into close contact with the front side of the
reverse-swivel lever 600. During a collision, the hook parts 710
are swiveled upwards about the hinge holes 730 as the
reverse-swivel lever 600 is swiveled, so that the hook parts 710
are separated from the hinge shaft 551 of the pedal arm 500, and
then the hinge shaft 551 of the pedal arm 500 is removed toward the
driver's seat through the open parts 330 of the pedal bracket
300.
[0036] In normal operation, the reverse-swivel pin 630 of the
reverse-swivel lever 600 and the reverse-swivel protrusion 510 of
the pedal arm 500 are spaced by a certain distance and do not
interfere with each other, having no influence on the manipulation
and operation of the pedal 530. However, during a collision, the
reverse-swivel lever 600 is swiveled to cause the reverse-swivel
pin 630 to swivel the reverse-swivel protrusion 510 of the pedal
arm 500 and therefore reverse-swivel the pedal arm itself.
[0037] To prevent the pedal arm 500 from being separated from the
pedal bracket 300 during normal operation, the fixing link 700 is
placed around the pedal arm such that the hook parts 710 surround
the hinge shaft 551, and bushings 800 are fixedly mounted to the
upper sides of the hook parts 710 of the fixing link 700. Each
bushing 800 serves to prevent a gap from being created between the
fixing link 700, the pedal arm 500, and the pedal bracket 300,
thereby preventing noise and malfunctioning due to the gap,
improving the strength of the pedal apparatus, and ensuring
reliability of operation of the pedal apparatus. Further, the
bushing serves as a fail-safe safety device, together with the
fixing link 700, in order to prevent the hinge shaft 551 of the
coupling part 550 of the pedal arm 500 from being separated through
the opening 350.
[0038] During a collision, the bushings 800 are broken by the hook
parts 710 of the fixing link 700, so when the reverse-swivel lever
600 is swiveled, the connector part 750 of the fixing link 700 is
swiveled so that the hook parts 710 are lifted upwards. The bushing
800 is generally made from a soft material compared to the hook
part 710. For example, the hook part 710 may be made from steel,
and the bushing 800 may be made from plastic.
[0039] The cowl bracket 400 may have a variety of shapes, and may
adopt an "L"-shape in a preferred embodiment of the present
invention. An upper side of the cowl bracket 400 is coupled to the
cowl panel 200, and a lower side thereof is formed as a flange 410
that is coupled to an upper surface of the pedal bracket 300. The
flange 410 of the cowl bracket 400 is provided with recess openings
411, which are open toward the driver's seat, and protrusions 310
are formed on the upper surface of the pedal bracket 300 such that
the protrusions are fitted through the recess openings 411 of the
cowl bracket 400 and are bolted thereto.
[0040] Thus, when the dashboard 100 is pushed toward the driver's
seat during a vehicle collision, the pedal bracket 300 fixed to the
dashboard 100 is also moved, together with the dashboard 100, such
that the cowl panel 200 and the cowl bracket 400 are moved less
than the pedal bracket, so the protrusions 310 of the pedal bracket
300 slide off along the recess openings 411 of the flange 410,
thereby allowing the pedal bracket 300 to be easily separated from
the cowl bracket 400.
[0041] A hinge-coupling part between the fixing link 700 and the
reverse-swivel lever 600 is positioned in front of the coupling
part 550 of the pedal arm 500, and the reverse-swivel pin 630 is
positioned below the reverse-swivel protrusion 510. Thus, during a
collision, the reverse-swivel pin 630 is swiveled about the
hinge-coupling part between the fixing link 700 and the
reverse-swivel lever 600 to cause the reverse-swivel protrusion 510
of the pedal arm 500 to be forced upwards.
[0042] As compared to the conventional pedal apparatus, since the
pedal apparatus of the present invention additionally includes only
the reverse-swivel lever and the fixing link, there is no need for
a large space and the number of parts required decreases, so the
pedal apparatus can be easily mounted without modifying a design
space, thus providing an advantage of reduced cost and weight.
[0043] FIG. 5 is a view of the pedal apparatus in a normal state,
and FIG. 6 is a view of the pedal apparatus after a collision
occurs. As shown in FIG. 5, in a normal state, when a driver steps
on the pedal 530, the pedal is normally swiveled back and forth
about the coupling part 550. However, during a frontal collision,
as the dashboard 100 is pushed toward the interior of a vehicle,
the reverse-swivel lever 600 is swiveled when the extension 610
comes into contact with the cowl bracket 400, and then the pedal
arm 500 is swiveled when the reverse-swivel protrusion 510 is
forced by the reverse-swivel pin 630. This operation is shown in
FIG. 6.
[0044] During a collision, specifically, force is exerted in the
direction of the arrow A, and the dashboard 100 is pushed back
further than the cowl panel 200 so that the pedal bracket 300 is
moved back together with the dashboard 100. Here, the protrusions
310 of the pedal bracket 300 slide off along the recess openings
411 of the cowl bracket 400, so that the pedal bracket 300 is
separated from the cowl bracket 400. As the pedal bracket 300 is
pushed back, the reverse-swivel lever 600 comes into contact with
the cowl bracket 400 so that the pedal bracket 300 and the
reverse-swivel lever 600 are swiveled in the direction of the arrow
B about the hinge-coupling part therebetween. Then, when the
reverse-swivel lever 600 is swiveled about the hinge holes 730, the
reverse-swivel pin 630 forces the reverse-swivel protrusion 510 of
the pedal arm 500 to be lifted upwards, and at the same time, the
reverse-swivel lever 600 forces the connector part 750 of the
fixing link 700 to allow the fixing link 700 to be swiveled about
the hinge holes 730 so that the hook parts 710 of the fixing link
700 are lifted upwards while breaking the bushings 800. With the
swiveling of the reverse-swivel lever 600 and the fixing link 700
in the direction of the arrow B, the pedal arm 500 is
reverse-swiveled in the direction of the arrow C, and then at the
same time, the hinge shaft 551 is separated from the hook parts 710
of the fixing link 700 and then is removed in the direction of the
arrow D through the open parts 330 so that the coupling part 550 is
moved back to cause the pedal arm 500 to be further
reverse-swiveled.
[0045] Therefore, the pedal apparatus allows for a safe operation
during a normal operation, and during a vehicle collision, the
pedal arm is reversely swiveled and is completely decoupled from
the pedal bracket, thereby providing the effect of securely
protecting a driver from sustaining an injury to his or her ankles.
Further, the pedal apparatus can be utilized in an arrangement when
a reverse pushing-preventing bracket cannot typically be applied
due to a disadvantageous design layout, and has a decreased number
of parts, thus saving on cost and weight, and facilitating assembly
and maintenance, in order to improve working efficiency.
[0046] FIG. 7 is a view of a pedal apparatus for a vehicle
according to another embodiment of the present invention, when
during a collision, the extension 610 of the reverse-swivel lever
600 is swiveled while coming into contact with the cowl panel 200,
instead of the cowl bracket 400. In the case where the cowl panel
200 is designed to be longer, even when the extension 610 of the
reverse-swivel lever 600 comes into contact with the cowl panel
200, instead of the cowl bracket 400, and is swiveled, the
swiveling action is the same as that of the case when the extension
comes into contact with the cowl bracket 400 and is swiveled so
that the pedal arm 500 is reversely swiveled and completely
separated likewise from the pedal bracket 300.
[0047] Therefore, during a vehicle collision, although the
dashboard is pushed back, the pedal arm itself is separated from
the pedal bracket, thereby providing the effect of securely
protecting a driver from sustaining an injury to his ankle.
[0048] Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has
been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art
will appreciate that various modifications, additions and
substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying
claims.
* * * * *